A curated selection of public diplomacy-relevant news from a global cross-section of English-language media outlets, including independent, corporate-owned, and state-sponsored sources. The stories featured don't necessarily represent CPD's views nor have they been verified by CPD.
Israeli ‘aid ships’ carry 4-legged animals to Turkey
Israel is sending a ship to Turkey on Monday with a large and noisy cargo on board. This shipment is part of a decades-long struggle, but one against nature: it aims to calm ties between the two countries while simultaneously saving Asian pachyderms from extinction.
Resistance in Iranian Cinema Week
Under the title 'Resistance in Iranian Cinema' a Week of resistance films kicked off on Sunday at Damascus-based Kindi Cinema. The week is held by Iranian Cultural Chancellery in Damascus in cooperation with the General Organization for Cinema in Syria and the Institution of International Festival for Resistance Films in Iran.
Fiji uses ‘tai chi diplomacy’ to forge stronger China ties
At a sun-drenched park on Suva's waterfront, Fiji's rugby-loving military ruler Voreqe Bainimarama extols the benefits of tai chi as a master of the slow-motion Chinese martial art looks on. Bainimarama's conversion to tai chi's gentle techniques...symbolizes his quest since his 2006 coup to forge closer links with China.
Pakistan delegation to visit US State Department
A Pakistani delegation consisting of nine professionals, who have achieved distinction in their respective fields and are on a visit to the US since October 1, will visit the US State Department, which has arranged special briefings for them with its Public Diplomacy wing. The delegation is visiting the US at the invitation of the Rotary Club (RC) of Wilmington, Delaware.
Why doesn’t the U.S. take credit for aiding Pakistan?
I wrote last week... "The U.S. military has been working hard to provide flood assistance, but most of that is invisible to Pakistanis," I noted. That seemed to me to be a missed opportunity -- and characteristic of a weird misfire in U.S. public diplomacy. For a superpower, we can be oddly shy about advertising our good works.
Communicating Their Own Story: Progress in the Afghan National Security Force
Supported by NTM-A advisors, Afghan forces have established a basic, but rapidly growing, communication capability. During the course of the last twelve months they have more than tripled their number of trained Public Affairs Officers - from fifty-five to over two hundred...
The Pros and Cons of Citizen Diplomacy
Conveying information and selling a positive image is often best accomplished by private citizens; today, the soft sell may prove more effective than the hard sell. The main strength of the government broadcasting and mass media approach to public diplomacy is its audience reach and ability to generate public awareness and set the agenda
China’s irresistible power surge
During the past few years, Beijing has talked of projecting its soft power, its cultural influence. But that was either a feint or was destined to be a flop. Instead, China is now exercising its influence in the world of hard power, where it makes other countries behave in the way it wants -- and this is especially apparent in the seas surrounding China's 14,500km coastline.
Pages
Visit CPD's Online Library
Explore CPD's vast online database featuring the latest books, articles, speeches and information on international organizations dedicated to public diplomacy.